Month: July 2017

“Magic is a matter of symbolism and intent.” —Randall Garrett, Too Many Magicians

Most role-playing games (RPGs) include some kind of magic or occult phenomena as part of the game. This fact makes some people uncomfortable. Some Christians go so far as to insist that any activity—games, movies, whatever—including the portrayal of magic must be avoided in order to maintain a right relationship with God and to follow His moral guidance. On careful examination, however, the arguments used to support this stand are weak, both from a logical and Scriptural perspective.

There are two aspects to this controversy: 1) what is actually happening when magic appears in an RPG, and 2) what does Scripture have to say about this? In this essay I address the issue of fact rather than the application of Scripture—not because Scripture is less important, but because it is impossible to apply Scripture properly without knowing the factual truth about any situation barring direct divine inspiration, which lies outside the realm of the merely rational mind. Read more

Last month we introduced the notion of Archetypes as collections not so much of skills and traits as of values and beliefs, character concepts which inform us about ourselves and our views of the world. This month that notion meets its first test, as we consider our first archetype. We start with one that is fairly simple: the warrior.

I should clarify that I do not by this designation mean anyone and everyone who fights, nor everyone who trains to engage in combat. I have in mind the soldier who fights to defend home and family. I’m aware that there are others, and we will consider the knight, the assassin, perhaps the barbarian, perhaps others, as distinct kinds of fighting men who represent something else. This is the simple man who fights because someone has to do it. Read more

The Guild’s primary convention activity takes place at Gen Con, where we offer a Sunday morning worship service and a panel on the intersection of our faith and our hobby. As of last year, we also help to coordinate a memorial service for those who have passed away. Unfortunately, we’ve been priced out of having a booth the past couple of years, so if you want to make contact, these events are your best bet.

Perhaps it was just a passing thought; perhaps it was a sudden inspiration. One of the members of the Christian Gamers Guild who has in the past suggested good ideas for topics for this series (including the Sex and Gender discussions) asked whether there had been an article on archetypes, and suggested that it might be the basis for a new miniseries.

Indeed, the series is in need of a new subject, something related to our faith and our games that has not been discussed in the previous thirty-eight columns. A theme that opens possibilities for several columns is a welcome idea. There was only one problem. What exactly is an archetype anyway, and what can be said about it? Read more